Golden

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-One

            Returning to Maltha is like breathing fresh air for the first time. I open my eyes, a smile pulling at my lips when I see the brightness of the twin suns. Despite being a dead planet as well, Maltha is much more desirable than Cestea.

        Kia is already waiting for us when we return. Her grin is impossibly wide, "you did it!" she screams, jumping around.

        Daneth stands beside her with his own smile. "It's all over," he murmurs.

        I smile as well, looking at everyone. A feeling of peace settles in me; after all that has occurred, we have finally won the war. Now, we must start anew and I am joyous to find that I don't balk at the thought. "Now that Norun is dead, there is no one who wants to destroy the system," I tell them. "We are safe, for now."

        "So what are we supposed to do now?" Morgan asks.

        I spread my arms, gesturing to the world around us. "We will start over," I answer, "we will restore the waters of Valsea and build the rebirthing system. Maltha will be my new home - what you must do is decide whether you will join me or return to Atriel."

        Atticus is the first to speak, "I don't know about you guys," he looks at the other three, "but going back to Atriel means running for the rest of my life. I think I'd rather stay here and actually do something important."

        Morgan shrugs, "I'll stay."

        I look at the twins, who glance at each other in contemplation. "Darren, Annette; you are both immortal and nothing can kill you. If you don't wish to return to Atriel and you don't want to stay here then we can take you to any world you please. You are not limited in your decision."

        "I want to stay," Annette says, earning a perplexed look from her brother. "I have lived almost two hundred years and all I have done is rot in a prison." She looks at Darren, "I will make my own choice this time; I will stay here."

        Darren keeps his eyes locked on his sister, until finally he looks away and at me. "I have always wanted to travel," he murmurs. Annette lowers her gaze to the ground - almost as if to brace herself. "But Annette and I have always stuck together; I don't plan on changing that now. I will stay too." She purses her lips and looks away, seeming disappointed in his decision.

        I nod, "if you change your mind, all you need to do is tell me and you can leave as you wish."

        "Now that that's done and over with," Kia pitches, "want to go see your new Hall?" she grins at me, her hair bouncing along with her feet.

        I take a deep breath, "yes, it is time to start the re-establishment."

        We follow Kia and Daneth as they head north. I take the time to soak in the world that I will call my new home. It has a rugged beauty to it, despite being a long dead planet. However, the trees that droop limply to the black ground still have a shred of their former life to them - I can feel them all reaching out to me.

        Restoring the system means bringing this dead planet back to life; I wonder how Quinn feels about that. His father had previously ruled Maltha, and had sent his soul to his oldest newborn son in an attempt to give this world an heir. Now that Quinn is here, about to help me restore Maltha to its former glory - he must be feeling some pressure on his shoulders.

        I turn to look at him as he walks beside me and place a hand on his shoulder. "Welcome to Valhalla," I grin.

        He laughs, "I have a feeling we won't be seeing that land for quite a while."